Chianti Tuscany grape varieties Sangiovese Sangiovese is Italy's most commonly-planted red grape variety and is particularly common in central Italy. In 1990, almost 10% of all Italian vineyards were planted with some form of this grape. Under its various names (Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile, Morellino), it is the principal vine variety used to produce Chianti and other Tuscan red wines. In Tuscany alone, no less than 25 appellations require Sangiovese as the main grape variety in the blend. Sangiovese has many clonal varieties, two of which predominate. The Sangiovese Grosso variety Brunello is used for the dark red, traditionally powerful and slow-maturing Brunello di Montalcino wine. The other is the Sangiovese Piccolo, also known under the historical synonym Sangioveto, used for standard Chianti Classico DOC wines. A third variety, Morellino, is used in a popular wine blend of the same name found in the southern part of Tuscany.

While sangiovese is the sole grape variety permitted for Brunello di Montalcino and is the basis of the blends for Chianti, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and the vast majority of the "super-Tuscans" (such as Sassicaia and Ornellaia), it is also the main red grape for all of central Italy, widely planted in Umbria (where it gives its best results in the DOCG wines Torgiano and Montefalco), in the Marches (where it is the base of the Rosso Piceno, and an important component of the Rosso Conero), and in Latium. The Sangiovese vine itself, probably indigenous to Tuscany, is of ancient origin, as the literal translation of its name ("Blood of Jove") suggests. Conventional descriptions of Sangiovese divide the variety into two families: Sangiovese Grosso, to which Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile and Sangiovese di Lamole belong, and Sangiovese Piccolo. The former is generally considered to be superior. Sangiovese is slow and late to ripen, which gives a rich, alcoholic and long-lived wine.

Over-production tends to accentuate the wine's acidity and lighten its colour. Further difficulties are experienced because of the rather thin skin of the grape, making it susceptible to rot in damp years. Throughout Tuscany, Sangiovese is now often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, whether for Chianti (where Cabernet Sauvignon must not exceed 15%) or Vino da Tavola. The blend is highly successful, producing intense fruit and colour, and there are numerous excellent Vini da Tavola so-named because the exceed the blend limit and not because they are inferior in taste to the DOC and DOCG wines. Trebbiano Trebbiano is the most common name for the undistinguished Ugni Blanc grape. It has many mutations and sub-varieties such as Procanico in Tuscany and Umbria. It is so widely planted in France that probably produces more wine than other vine variety in the world. It's more often cited in DOC regulations that another other single variety and may well account for more than a third of Italy's entire DOC white wine production. The wines are generally light, white and crisp.

Trebbiano (along with Malvasia) has been excluded from the official Chianti Classico DOCG composition from the 2005 vintage onwards. Historical references to Trebbiano include Pliny ("vinum trebulanum") and Petrus de Crescenthiis in 1303, making it an ancient vine. Today, Trebbiano's principal varieties are Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbiano Romagnolo, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano Giallo and Trebbiano di Soave. Vernaccia Vernaccia is a minor grape of ancient origin grown in San Gimignano in the Tuscany region of Italy that traditionally produces dry, lean white wines that soften after two or more years bottle aging. It also used to create sweet golden white wines. An unrelated variety is the Vernaccia di Oristano from Sardinia that produces sherry-like wines with enormous aging potential. Canaiolo Canaiolo (Nero) is now a somewhat minor grape grown in Tuscany to produce red wine often used for blending with Sangiovese Grosso in some of the Chianti range of red wines. Is also an ingredient in other local blends.

Has many synonyms including Caccione (Nero), Tindillaro and Uva Fosca. Canaiolo, also known as Canaiolo Nero to distinguish it from the white-berried version (Drupeggio) widely used alongside Trebbiano, Malvasia and Grechetto in many central Italian white blends, is one of the historic red grapes of Tuscany. Along with Sangiovese, it was, in the century between 1870 and 1970, the basis of the blend of Chianti Classico , the other Chianti-style wines produced in a substantial part of the territory of Tuscany, and of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Canaiolo could well have been the most important grape in Chianti Classico until World War I. It was only the result of the prestige which Sangiovese enjoyed as a result of the work of Baron Bettino Ricasoli, who gave Sangiovese a privileged place in his famous "formula" for Chianti, Sangiovese and Canaiolo, which tipped the scales in favour of Sangiovese. Canaiolo has a long history behind it.

Petrus de Crescentiis cited "Canajuola" as early as in the first decade of the 14 C and describes it as a "lovely grape, one to cherish and protect" ("bellisima uva e da serbare"). Canaiolo was successively cited by Soderini in the 17 C and by Villifranchi in the 18 C. Ciliegiolo Ciliegiolo was referred to in the early 17 C by the Florentine writer Soderini who described a "Ciregiuolo dolce" with a long bunch, a somewhat large berry, and a sweet and fragrant flavour. Currently, Ciliegiolo is cultivated almost exclusively in Umbria and Tuscany, though the two regions give distinctly different wines. The Ciliegiolo of Umbria, grown in an inland area with a somewhat cool, continental climate, is a light, fruity wine meant to be drunk young. In Tuscany, in contrast, beginning with vintages at the end of the 1980's, a warmer, more maritime climate and a more ambitious winemaking philosophy have produced startlingly different results.

These have come principally from the Maremma , the coastal area of the region in the province of Grosseto . Colorino Colorino is a variety occasionally used in a light-bodied blend, based on Sangiovese, with other red wines of Tuscany. The grape has several synonyms. The well-known Chianti Classico Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro is composed of Sangiovese (85%), Colorino (10%), Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) Masseretta Masseretta, also known as Barsaglina Nera, is an indigenous Tuscan grape that takes its name from the city of Massa in the province of Massa Carrara in northernmost Tuscany and is limited in cultivation to this province where the mountains descend almost all the way to the coast. This topology has resulted in some of the most striking vineyards in Italy: a series of terraces hewn into the steep slopes, planted as tightly as possible, often with close to four thousand vines per acre, and worked without tractors.

The characteristics of Masseretta make it a likely candidate for the commercial production of red wine and the first vintages have shown that the wine can be aged in oak with highly satisfactory results, giving a certain spicy complexity and sweetness to its fruit. At the moment, Masseretta-based wines are not entitled to appellation recognition and can only be marketed as Tuscan IGT wines. Inzolia Inzolia is planted extensively on the west coast of Sicily where it is made into a wine commonly blended with the Grillo and Catarrato Bianco grape wines in order to create the famous dry and sweet "Marsala" white wines of historical significance. The grape is also found in Tuscany region of Italy where it is known as Ansonica. Mammolo Mammolo, an increasingly rare violet-scented grape mainly grown in Chianti DOC region of Tuscany. Mammolo is a red wine producing variety used in the various blends of the area. Synonym: Fegeri. The Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva "Coltassala" contains mammolo to add a powerful perfume to the sangiovese.

Malvasia Malvasia (in French "Malvoisie", in English "Malmsey" and in German "Malvasier") is the name widely used for a complex set of grape varieties. Ancient and of Greek origin, it produces wines high in alcohol and, often, with residual sugar. Most are deeply colored whites but some are, usually light, reds. The word Malvasia is the Italian derivative of Monemvasia, the southern Greek port and Venetian fortress that, in the middle ages, was famous for its dessert wines. So important was Malvasia during the time of the Venetian Republic that wine shops in Venice were called "Malvasie". White Malvasia Bianca, the largest part of production, is widely used throughout Latium, Umbria and Tuscany. The finest dry white varietal Malvasia is made in Friuli, where there are two DOCs, Collio and Isonzo. Under EU rules, any wine made on the Portuguese island of Madeira must be 85% Malvasia to be called Malmsey.

Chianti Classico Grape Varieties - Sangiovese - Tuscany - Wine Travel Guides This Guide was last updated on 30 March 2010 To explore this Wine Travel Guide, select from the menu on the left Main grape varieties Red Sangiovese The most important red grape in Chianti and Chianti Classico blends, it produces tannic, structured, age-worthy wines of great complexity. Canaiolo Nero Also known simply as Canaiolo, this is used in Chianti blends with Sangiovese, often to give a greater aromatic appeal. Ciliegiolo This variety, once prominent in central Italy, has been revived in blended and varietal reds to give colour and aromas. Merlot International variety marked by soft tannins and intense colour. It is often used in blends but also as a single varietal wine. Cabernet Sauvignon International variety which produces structured wines with herbaceous aromas, especially when youthful. Used mainly in blends. Shiraz/Syrah International variety with a spicy character and usually medium- to full-bodied. Used both in blends and as a single varietal wine.

Colorino A very deep-coloured grape sometimes used to add colour and tannins to blends. White Trebbiano Toscano The most widespread white in central Italy, which is quite neutral in character – it is the basis for many dry white blends and is also used for Vin Santo. Vernaccia Variety that gives a distinctive dry white wine – crisp, refreshing, and with an attractive bitter almond finish. Malvasia Bianca Often used in blends with Trebbiano, providing more richness and flavour. Used for dry whites and Vin Santo. Grechetto Mainly Umbrian variety used occasionally as part of the blend for Vin Santo. Sauvignon Blanc Chianti Wines and Grapes Chianti Wines and Grapes Chianti wine zones The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. It described the area near the villages of Gaiole , Castellina and Radda , the so-called Lega del Chianti and later Provincia del Chianti.

In 1932, the Chianti wine area was completely re-drawn and divided in seven sub-areas: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. In 1996 part of the Colli Fiorentini sub-area was renamed Montespertoli, making a total of eight subzones. The Chianti DOCG covers all the Chianti wine and includes a large stretch of land encompassing the western reaches of the province of Pisa near the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Florentine hills in the province of Florence to the north, to the province of Arezzo in the east and the Sienna hills to the south. Within these regions there are vineyards that overlap the DOCG regions of Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Vernaccia di San Gimignano . Any Sangiovese-based wine from these vineyards made according to the Chianti formula can be labeled as Chianti DOCG should the producer wish to use the designation.

Within the Chianti DOCG there are now eight sub-zones the names of which are allowed to appear on the wine label. The sub-zones are: • Chianti Colli Fiorentini which is located south of the city of Florence. • Chianti Rùfina in the northeastern part of the zone located in the Val di Sieve , around the municipality of Rufina. • Chianti Classico in the centre of Chianti, between the cities of Florence and Sienna. • Chianti Colli Aretini in Arezzo province to the east. • Chianti Colli Senesi south of Chianti Classico in the Siennese hills. This is the largest of the sub-zones and includes the Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano areas. • Chianti Colline Pisane, the westernmost sub-zone in the province of Pisa. • Chianti Montespertoli is located within the Colli Fiorentini sub-zone, around the municipality of Montespertoli . • Chianti Montalbano is in the northwest part of the zone which includes the Carmignano DOCG.

There are an additional 10,324 hectares of vineyards in the peripheral areas that do not fall within one of the sub-zone classifications. Wines produced from these vineyards are simply labeled as "Chianti". Map of the Chianti wine zones Chianti wine grapes Sangiovese grapes overwhelmingly dominate wine production throughout Tuscany, and Chianti is no exception. Since 1996, the ratio of grape varietals for Chianti and Chianti Classico wines has been 75-100% Sangiovese, up to 10% Canaiolo and up to 20% of any other approved red grape varietal such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot or Syrah. Since 2006, the use of white grape varieties such as Malvasia and Trebbiano have been prohibited in Chianti Classico.

Chianti Classico must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 12% with a minimum of 7 months aging in oak, while Chianti Classico Riserva must be aged at least 27 months at the winery, with a minimum alcohol level of at least 12.5%. The harvest yields for Chianti Classico are restricted to no more than 3 tons per acre (7.5 tonnes/hectare). For standard Chianti, the minimum alcohol level is 11.5% with yields restricted to 4 tons per acre (9 tonnes/hectare). The aging for standard Chianti DOCG is much less stringent, with most varieties allowed to be released to the market on 1 March following the vintage year. The sub-zones of Colli Fiorentini, Montespertoli and Rufina must be aged for a further three months and not released until 1 June. All Chianti Classicos must be held back until 1 October in the year following the vintage. Many of the "Super-Tuscans" produced in Chianti are 100% Sangiovese.

Sangiovese grapes Chianti Wine: The Taste, Region and Classic Pairings | Wine Folly Advanced , Chianti , Italy , Sangiovese , Tuscany , Wine Blend , Wine Regions Why is Chianti more written about, drank, and talked about than any other Italian wine in history? What makes Chianti the perfect food wine? We’re going to tackle these questions and more in our exploration of Chianti. Chianti, a red blend from Tuscany, is the most recognized wine outside of Italy. It is as essential to Italian cuisine as extra virgin olive oil. There are few pleasures as distinct as a tart, spicy, herbaceous Chianti wine next to a plate of sliced prosciutto or pasta al pomodoro. What is Chianti Wine? source: Marco Bernardini Chianti is Sangiovese The Sangiovese that forms the majority of the Chianti blend is a thin-skinned grape, so it makes translucent wines. In the glass, Sangiovese displays a ruby red color with flashes of bright burnt orange –a hue commonly associated with aged wines.

Besides Sangiovese, Chianti wines may contain wine grapes like Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and even Merlot. White grapes were once allowed in Chianti Classico but not anymore. Learn how to read an Italian wine label. The best examples of Chianti are a visceral tasting experience. Imagine the smells as you walk through an Italian grocery store: at the entrance there’s a bowl of preserved sour Amarena cherries. You walk under bunches of dried oregano, past a wall of dark, aromatic balsamic vinegar, then pass a counter where dry salami is being sliced. At the bar, dark espresso is dripping into a ceramic tazzo. A whisper of sweet tobacco wafts in the door from the pipe of the old man outside. Chianti smells and tastes like Italy. There will be a little coarseness and tartness on the palate, but these aren’t flaws, they are classic characteristics of Sangiovese. Tuscany Wine Map 2016 Wine Map Update Now Available: Appellation maps to explore all of the major wine producing regions of the world. Discover art made to be handled.

View Wine Maps ➜ Chianti wine is more than just a place. Chianti is a small region within Tuscany, but a wine calling itself "Chianti" is allowed to be made almost anywhere in Tuscany. Because of this, Chianti has 8 sub-zones. The truest examples come from Chianti Classico, which is the name given to wines from the original historic boundaries. Both Chianti Classico and Chianti Rufina are likely to be of higher quality, since they are made in smaller quantities from distinct historical areas. The city of San Gimignano within the Chianti region of Tuscany. source: Kevin Po The most serious examples of Chianti Classico come from a small group of villages from Siena in the south to the hills above Florence. The Classico region’s warm climate and clay-based soils, such as galestro marl and alberese sandstone, produce the boldest Chianti wines. TIP: A wine labeled “Chianti” for $7-$11 is most likely made in bulk from a larger area and won't have the classic taste of a great Chianti.

Map of Italian Wine Regions See an easy to understand map of Italian wine regions and major wine varieties. Learn about the 20 Italian wine regions and which ones to try first when delving into Italian wines. source: jpellegen Chianti Food Pairing Chianti has savory flavors paired with high acidity and coarse tannin which makes it an incredible wine with food. The high acid cuts through richer fatty dishes and stands up to tomato sauces ( pizza! ). All that dry, powdery tannin makes Chianti wines ideal with dishes that use olive oil or highlight rich pieces of meat such as Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Other food pairing ideas for Chianti Tomato-based pasta sauces are fantastic, such as the Tuscan slow-simmered Ragù al Chingiale made with wild boar. Pizza is another favorite pairing and works with all styles of Sangiovese, from lighter Chianti wines to richer Brunello di Montalcino (find out more about Brunello below). A personal favorite is Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a dry-aged porterhouse steak from the grass-fed and grain-finished Chianina cattle. When done properly it’s one of the most succulent meat dishes on the planet.

Top Rated Italian Wine Don’t worry, you’re not the only person who thinks getting into Italian wines is hard. Here are some illuminating reasons as to why Italian wines are such a mystery to non-Italians. Read more... Aging & Classifications of Chianti Wine General Aging Wine Picks Infographics Apps & Quizzes Etiquette DIY Travel Longform Join Chianti – Learn About The Classic Italian Wine There is more to Chianti (Kee-Ahn-tee) than the classic bottle in a straw basket, known as a fiasco, made famous by old school Italian red sauce joints in the ‘70s and Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. In fact, Chianti is currently the most popular Italian red wine in America. Known for being a dry red that goes very well with food, Chianti can range in price from $10 a bottle to upwards of $50 dollars for high-end versions. Suffice it to say, Chianti has outgrown its old school straw basket image. In fact, almost none of the Chianti sold today comes in the classic straw basket.

Like most other wines made in the Old World , Chianti derives its name not from the grape used to make the wine, which is Sangiovese, but from the region where it is made. The Chianti region is located in Tuscany, that romantic area of central Italy known for its sweeping landscapes, burning hot sun and its wealth of art and food history. It is from this region that we also get delicious olive oil and Michelangelo’s David. The Chianti region is located in Tuscany, that romantic area of central Italy known for its sweeping landscapes, burning hot sun and its wealth of art and food history. For a Chianti to be a Chianti, it must be produced in the Chianti region and be made from at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. While most Chiantis are 100% Sangiovese, some winemakers in the region like to blend the Sangiovese with a little Cabernet , Merlot or Syrah to soften the finished wine. The two versions of Chianti you are most likely to encounter in a store or on a restaurant wine list are Chianti and Chianti Classico.

The difference between the two is that Chianti Classico is considered to be a bit more refined and higher end than Chianti; this is because it’s produced from grapes harvested in the best vineyards of the region. Whether the wine is Chianti or Chianti Classico will clearly be labeled on the front of the bottle. In both versions of Chianti, you can expect a wine that is very earthy and rustic, high in tannins (it dries your mouth out), has a smell and taste that is reminiscent of cherries and strawberries, and is high in acidity , which makes it go very well with food. While many people love to pair this classic Italian wine with classic Italian food, Chianti goes well with whatever you feel like eating. It’s as much a pizza and pasta wine as a grilled cheese and fries wine. So go ahead, pop a bottle of Chianti, turn on The Godfather, and let the wine transport you to Italy.

Spread The Knowledge With Your Friends: Core Grapes & Wines Italian Grape Varieties / Glossary » CellarTours Italian Grape Varieties Italian Red Grapes Aglianico: used to make quality full-bodied red wines in Campania (best commune being Taurasi) and also in up and coming Basilicata. Of Greek origin, it was known as “Vitis Hellenica” Aleatico: strong Mediterranean red varietal grown on the island of Elba and also in Puglia and Lazio Barbera: makes both elegant and juicy wines in Piedmont Bonarda: classic Lombard grape grown in the Oltrepò Pavese and Colli Piacentini DOCs. Bovale: Sardinian red grape of Spanish origin Cannonau: grown in the gorgeous island of Sardegna, also called Alicante.

Said to have been imported from Spain in 13th century Cesanese: grown in the Lazio region it is often used to make semi sparkling red Corvina: one of the key grapes used for the production of Amarone, also used for wines like Valpolicella , Bardolino and Recioto Classico Dolcetto: originated in Piedmont and has become a huge commercial success Frappato: main grape used to make the famed Sicilian Cerasuolo Freisa: light red from Piedmont used to make semi sparkling wines Fumin: grown in the Aosta Valley Gaglioppo: Greek varietal imported in ancient times to Calabria, Cirò is most famous brand to use this grape Grignolino: light colored red wine is made from this grape in Piedmont mainly around Monferrato and Asti Lambrusco: historic grape in Italy from Emilia Romagna, became notorious for the sweet sparking red wines.

Malvasia Nera: Literally Black Malvasia, used in many wines from Puglia Molinara: one of the 3 grapes used for Amarone production (the others being Rondinella and Corvina) Montepulciano d´Abruzzo: up and coming grape used to make some excellent wines in the Marche and Abruzzi regions, also in Molise and Puglia Nebbiolo: the Piemontese grape used to make Barolo and Barbaresco, also called Chiavennasca in Valtellina to produce Sforzato, and Spanna Negrara: Veneto grape from the Negrar district of Valpolicella, characteristic Negroamaro: means “Black bitter”, this intense black grape is king in Puglia, Nero d´Avola: also called “Calabrese, this is considered to be the finest red grape in Sicily and makes powerful wines Ormeasco: the term used for the Dolcetto grape in Liguria Piedirosso: found in Campania, probably of Greek origin as many Campania grapes. Means “red feet”, and is main grape in some of Mustilli´s best wines.

Primitivo: cousin to California’s zinfandel and originating in Croatia, this popular red grape used in Puglia, particularly in the Salice Salentino and Primitivo di Manduria wines Prugnolo Gentile: name of the Sangiovese Grosso clone used to make the famed Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Raboso: grown in the Padua province especially for the wines from Colli Euganei Refosco: main red grape from Friuli , makes light reds Rondinella: used as part of a trio of grapes in Amarone and other Valpolicella wines Sagrantino: the main red grape of Umbria and used to make the excellent DOCG Sagrantino di Montefalco Sangiovese: also called Morellino, this is the flagship grape of Italy used to make Chianti Classico , Schiava/Vernatsch: northern red grape found in Trentino Alto Adige Italian White Grapes Chianti Classico:Wine and Culture in Chianti Classico Chianti Classico What is Chianti Classico?

The expression Chianti Classico suggests the oldest and most genuine area in the Chianti region. As a matter of fact Chianti is a vast area in Tuscany and is divided into 7 sub-zones, each one producing its Chianti wine with a specific name and label. Chianti Classico stretches between Florence and Siena and includes only 14 municipalities: the whole territory of Greve in Chianti , Castellina in Chianti , Gaiole in Chianti and Radda in Chianti , and part of the territory of Barberino Val d'Elsa , San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa within the Province of Florence, and part of the territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga and Poggibonsi in the province of Siena. The Black Rooster The Chianti Classico seal, recently changed in 2013, is a black rooster (Gallo Nero in Italian) on a white background with a bordeaux colored frame. Legend has it that in 13th century Florence and Siena decided to use a horse race to end their land dispute over Chianti.

The meeting point of two knights, who had left respectively from Florence and Siena when the rooster sang at dawn, would mark the new borders of their territories. The Florentines selected a black rooster and kept it for a few days in a box with no food. On the day of the race, when they took the rooster out of the box, he sang much earlier than dawn. Thus the Florentine knight left before the Sienese rider, meeting him only him only 20 km from Siena walls. Since then the black rooster has been the symbol of Chianti: first of the Chianti League in 13th century and then of the Chianti Classico Consortium. Celebrating 300 years in 2016 This small wine-region produces perhaps one of the best-known and appreciated wines: the Chianti Classico Wine. Wine has been produced in this area for over 2000 years, since Etruscan time. This Tuscan region was named Chianti and recognized as a wine-region since 13th century and its borders were defined in 1716 by an edict issued by Gran duke Cosimo III de' Medici.

What makes Chianti Classico so unique compared to other Chianti wines is the unmistakable pink label with the Black Rooster seal. This particular label is the symbol of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium , founded in 1924 to protect, promote this wine and prevent wine fraud. Chianti Classico is a DOCG wine and shows unique peculiarities and characteristics. Simply said, it is not enough to be produced in within the Chianti region to be called a "Classico". In fact Classico wine has to respect specific rules. Its blend is 80% of Sangiovese, the red grape typical of this area, 20% of other grapes which include native grapes such as Canaiolo and Colorino, as well as other international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Its characteristics are a limpid ruby red color, floral notes for its odor and a harmonious, dry and sapid flavor with a good level of tannin. The minimum alcohol level should be 12 degrees. The best Sangiovese grapes are used to produce Chianti Classico Riserva, a particularly esteemed wine.

Riserva wine has a deep ruby red color and requires a minimum maturation of 24 months including three months of bottle fining, as well as 12,5 degrees as minimum alcohol level. In 2014 a new category of Chianti Classico was introduced: Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Gran Selezione is made exclusively from a winery’s own grapes grown according to stricter regulations compared to regular Chianti Classico. Gran Selezione is granted to a Chianti Classico after it passes a suitability test conducted by authorized laboratories and after it is approved by a special tasting committee. Someone said that when you taste Chianti Classico wine, you'll never forget it ... try it and see if they are right! Related Sections Tuscan Wine Grape Varietals - Wines from Tuscany - Frescobaldi Italian Wines Red Grapes Sangiovese You simply cannot talk about Italian wine without giving credit to the all-star of Italian grapes: Sangiovese. Literally translated as the 'Blood of Jove,' Sangiovese it the most widely planted grape in all of Italy.

It is a high yielding, late ripening grape that performs best on well-drained limestone soils on south-facing hillsides. The hot, dry climate in Tuscany provides this grape an excellent home to thrive - although it's grown all over Italy. It is not just the sole grape variety permitted for Brunello di Montalcino , but also the base for the blends of Chianti, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, and the ever growing "Super-Tuscan" category which breaks from tradition by adding Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot into the mix. Because Sangiovese is very thin skinned, the juice produces a rich, alcoholic and long-standing wine. The wine itself is known for being fruity and naturally acidic. The aroma is non-aggressive and it is best enjoyed with the excellent cuisine of Italy . As Fernande Garvin once said, "Wine makes a symphony of a good meal." When paired with food, Chianti and other Sangiovese blends shine! Sangiovese's natural acidity matches up with foods like tomatoes and citrus and cuts through rich dishes like rabbit, duck, or tomato based pastas.

Click here for a recipes to be paired with Sangiovese wines . Cabernet Sauvignon Although Cabernet Sauvignon is best known in the wines coming from Bordeaux, France, it plays a large part as a blending agent in Italy - especially in Tuscany. You will find Cabernet Sauvignon blended in very small amounts with Sangiovese to make the contemporary "Super Tuscan" style wine. You also find Merlot in those blends, although Cabernet Sauvignon is often the sole grape variety, because it is arguably the greatest of dark-skinned grape of them all. The grape has a very distinct blue skin which contributes to the heavy pigment found in the wine and the lush, elegant burgundy color. Because of the thick skins, the wines are highly tannic and can deal with great amounts of aging and oak - and once in bottle, they have great longevity. The wines are highly aromatic and have violet and cedar characteristics, and distinct flavors of chocolate, mint, and tobacco. Because of its dense body, it pairs well with creamy cheese , smoked meats, pizzas, barbecue, and rich meat dishes . Click here for a recipes to be paired with Cabernet Sauvignon wines .

Merlot As with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is used as blending agent in the "Super Tuscan" style wines out of Italy and also in some modern Chianti's. Merlot has been used for hundreds of years because of it easy-drinking 'calming' quality. The grape itself buds, flowers, and ripens early. Because of this, Merlot has a full body with lots of bright, black fruit, and aromas and flavors of chocolate and violet - similar to Cabernet Sauvignon. Click here for a recipes to be paired with Merlot wines . Canaiolo Nero The Canaiolo grape was once absolutely critical to the success of the Chianti region, as it was used in most every Chianti blend - sometimes amounting for 30-50% of the wine. It is still used in Chianti wine today, but definitely takes second fiddle to Sangiovese. The flavors are soft and neutral and slightly bitter and can produce a rather bland wine if not blended correctly. Chianti's reformed DOCG laws today allow for only 10 percent in a Chianti blend.

The best Canaiolo's can be a nice combination of very ripe strawberries and leather in taste and smell, but the worst are used to soften the Chianti and not much else. Its future in Italy is unknown. White Grapes Trebbiano Trebbiano is the most common white grape variety in Italy, accounting for around a third of all Italy's white wine. Some of the sub-varieties found in Italy include Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbiano Romagnolo, Trebbiano Gallo and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. The wine itself is crisp and very neutral. It is sometimes called 'bland' because of this and the wine can be somewhat overly acidic and flavorless. It requires great skill to make it into a desirable table wine. The high acidity does make it useful in making brandy and is therefore widely used in the Cognac and Armagnac regions. It is best paired with meats like chicken, turkey , pork and light and delicate tasting fish like sole and catfish. Pinot Grigio Pinot Grigio is probably is the best-known 'white' variant-clone of Pinot Noir grown in the northeastern corner of Italy known as Friuli.

Although the wine is consumed all around Italy, it is not widely planted outside this region, as it enjoys the cool breeze of the Adriatic Sea and elevation of the mountains. You can find some plants cropping up in Tuscany, but not many. Pinot Grigio is usually delicately crisp and fragrant with mild floral notes and hints of citrus. Depending upon ripeness at harvest and winemaking technique, Pinot Grigio can be tangy and light, or quite rich, round and full bodied. Made in an appropriate style, it is one dry white wine that can even age well. Chianti Classico - thoroughly red now | Articles | JancisRobinson.com Chianti Classico - thoroughly red now Tweet This is a longer version of an article also published in the Financial Times. The 2006 vintage of Chianti Classico brings us wine lovers something to celebrate – and not just that so many of the wines taste good. This is the first year that white wine grapes have been outlawed from this, the quintessential wine of Tuscany, the land of olives, vines, cypresses and, at this time of year, thousands of holiday-makers.

Putting white wine grapes in red wine is not quite as bizarre as it sounds. In some cases there are sound reasons for including a few green-skinned grapes along with the purple. In Côte Rôtie in the Rhône Valley for instance there is a long-standing tradition of co-fermenting a small proportion of pale Viognier grapes with the Syrah to make the wine taste smoother and stabilise the pigment of the red Syrah grapes. Copies of this recipe were all the rage in Australia a few years ago and Shiraz/Viognier has become a staple offering there. But the white grapes that once routinely diluted Chianti, including that from its heartland Chianti Classico between Florence and Siena, were there for a much less noble reason than Viognier is to be found in Marcel Guigal's seductive La Mouline, my favourite Côte Rôtie.

The requirement that Chianti contain between 10 and 30 per cent of white grapes was written into the original 1967 DOC (Italy's answer to Appellation Contrôlée) regulations for the entirely expedient reason that it provided a convenient use for the substantial proportion of pale-skinned grapes then planted in the zone. Some of them were Malvasia, an ancient Greek variety with real character that is today dried to make Vin Santo, Tuscany's sweet wine treasure. But the great majority of white wine grapes that used to go into Chianti, blanching its colour and diluting its flavour, were the most basic sort of Trebbiano whose wine is generally near-flavourless and best distilled, as it is in France's Cognac district where it is known as Ugni Blanc. In the 1970s and 1980s Chianti was typically a vapid, tart, only-just-red wine.

The flurry of plantings of the main red wine grape Sangiovese that followed Chianti's accession to DOC status were mainly of poor quality clones, selected for quantity not quality, and the substantial proportion of white grapes that had to go into every wine only exacerbated Chianti's poor reputation. Things improved a little however in 1984 when Chianti Classico was promoted from DOC status to DOCG. The white grapes requirement was reduced to two to six per cent. In the late 20th century the most glamorously fashionable grape varieties in Tuscany, and much of Italy, were imports from France: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, sometimes Syrah. Ambitious Tuscan growers made haste to plant these so that they could make their own versions of the so-called Supertuscans, reds that were not encumbered by the stuffy old DOC regulations requiring precise proportions of white grapes with the traditional Sangiovese backbone and such other local red grapes as Canaiolo and Colorino.

These Supertuscans, made in the image of the super-successful Sassicaia, a sort of claret from the Tuscan coast, were put on the market at prices wildly more than boring old Chianti Classico. In some of the flashier cases, these Supertuscans tasted as though new French oak barrels had been an even more important ingredient in them than the grapes. Italian winemakers and their many fans seemed to have all but forgotten Sangiovese, Tuscany's signature indigenous vine variety. But since the mid 1990s the tide has been turning. Thanks to much more careful selection of Sangiovese plant material, much more skilled viticulture and in some cases a return to the large, well-seasoned casks in which Chianti was traditionally and more subtly matured, the quality of Chianti Classico has soared. In line with the worldwide trend towards revering the local rather than the imported, particularly as far as food and drink are concerned, Chianti is once more enjoying the spotlight of fashion.

Initially it was the special late bottlings, the Riservas, that received the most rapturous attention but now many of the regular bottlings, of which 2006 is the latest vintage on the market, are highly recommendable wines. The 2004 vintage was also very good but the rainy 2005 less so. Even better, some of the delicious 2006s I tasted recently in a line-up of 30 or so sell for under £10/$20 a bottle. Riservas may be for drinking at between five and 10 years old but most regular Chianti Classico is delightful at two to four years old and the best wines labelled simply Chianti can provide lovely, healthy, simple drinking even younger than this. One of Chianti's great attributes is how very digestible it can be, apparently created for the table. It complements rather than clobbers food. Chianti may occasionally be called the Bordeaux of Italy but the structure of the wines is very different from any French wine. Polish and suavity play little part in Chianti's appeal. A good Chianti is very definitely an agricultural product.

It suggests farmland, sometimes even a farmyard. There's a hint of autumn mulch or sometimes prunes, and there should always be some distinctively tangy freshness and bite - even a slight but appetising bitterness. The modern lawmakers, those who have at last outlawed white grapes from Chianti, must now be congratulating themselves that they retained the option of allowing a small proportion of non traditional red grapes to be blended with Sangiovese and other local varieties. (I found that several of the wines I liked best in my recent tasting of current Chianti Classicos contained about five per cent of the fleshy Merlot grape, arguably a better complement to Sangiovese's muscular frame than Cabernet.) Just down the road in Montalcino, where one of Italy's most famous wines Brunello is supposed to be made of nothing but the local Sangiovese, all hell has broken loose after a putsch on the varietal make-up of various famous wines, presumed to be politically inspired.

The scandal , variously called Brunellogate or Brunellopoli, has been rumbling on since it broke, for maximum effect, on the eve of Italy's annual Verona wine fair, Vinitaly, in April. The charge is that some of the most successful Brunellos in fact contain imported grape varieties. The authorities in the US, the leading export market for Brunello, and most Italian wines, threatened to ban all imports of Brunello unless accompanied by a sophisticated laboratory analysis proving that they contain nothing but Sangiovese (as if the average consumer cared). This official American demand has since been modified to the requirement of a certificate assuring Sangiovese integrity. I think most producers could manage one of those, don't you? In Montalcino itself there is blood on the carpet, heads have rolled, the press have had a field day and any number of clichés you care to mention apply. Montalcino's normally languorous atmosphere has been poisoned by this highly unsatisfactory and arguably unnecessary witch hunt. For the moment, the sun shines on Chianti. CHIANTI CLASSICOS WORTH BUYING * denotes a particularly traditional, lively style £ denotes especially good value Which grape is in Chianti?

| Ask Dr. Vinny | Wine Spectator Do you have a question for Dr. Vinny? Ask it here... Dear Dr. Vinny, Which grape is in Chianti? —Winston W., Charleston, S.C. Dear Winston, Chianti is a district in Italy’s Tuscany region, and wines from Chianti are primarily made from the Sangiovese grape. One distinguishing feature of Sangiovese is the bright acidity that helps it pair well with so many foods. —Dr. Vinny

Question: Which is the main red grape of Chianti wine?
Answer: Sangiovese